The 2018 Jets have some promising young pieces and intriguing veteran newcomers, but will all these additions be enough to break a seven-year playoff drought? I'll be revealing my Top 20 players every weekday for the next four weeks.

The list is made up of the 20 players that I believe will make the most impact for Gang Green this season. Past accomplishments don’t guarantee you anything. This is about who will have the best 2018 campaign. We’re not going chalk here. This countdown is filled with surprises.

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Jets defensive star Leonard Williams is eager to resume his pursuit of the quarterback in 2018. (Winslow Townson / AP)

No. 1: Leonard Williams

Position: Defensive lineman

Age at the start of the regular season: 24

2018 Salary Cap Charge: $5.93 million (Fourth-year of a four-year $18.75 million rookie contract. Fifth-year team option exercised for $14.2 million in 2019.)

Williams revealed his lofty one-sack-per-game goal to the Daily News last summer before a nagging bone bruise in his left wrist suffered in the third preseason game against the Giants hampered him for the first half of the regular season. The third-year pro, who played with a cast/heavy wrap on his left hand for the first couple months, had 14 of his 25 quarterback hits in the final eight games.

Williams, coming off a Pro Bowl appearance, finished with a career-low two sacks. But he still was a disruptive presence against the pass and run. The former No. 6 overall pick finished third in defensive run stops among interior defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus.

Williams, whose 25 quarterback hits were tied for seventh in the NFL, finished with 47 combined tackles (22 solo) in 16 games. Rams Pro Bowler Aaron Donald is the only interior defender with more combined sacks and quarterback hits than Williams (37) in the past two seasons.

There’s no denying Williams’ talent, but he’ll have to get home more often to maximize the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The Jets picked up his fifth-year option this offseason, but the organization would like to sign him to a multi-year extension next offseason. Williams, of course, can cash in with a monster deal if he fulfills the promise that he has flashed in his first three seasons.

Although Williams’ 12 sacks in 48 career games doesn’t jump off the page, it’s impossible to ignore his 65 career quarterback hits. He managed to get a hit on the quarterback in all but three games last season despite the wrist issue.

Once the baby along the Jets’ vaunted defensive line, Williams, believe it or not, is the last man standing in a unit that has undergone a massive facelift since Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles took over in 2015. Williams, of course, can’t do it all himself, so he’ll need some help from other defensive linemen and edge rushers to take some double-team heat off him.

“It’s one of my goals to be one of the best defensive linemen,” Williams said. “I still have some work. I’ve definitely been focusing on it and taking it day by day. What I’ve been talking to (assistant defensive line coach La’Roi Glover about) is as long as we’re getting better each day, that’s the main focus right now. We try to not look back. Just keep looking forward. As long as today’s practice is better than yesterday’s practice, then we’re making progress. Eventually I’ll be one of those type guys for sure.”

Williams’ best days are yet to come. He has the skillset, mindset and work ethic to be make the biggest impact for Bowles’ team in 2018. If he stays healthy, watch out.